Anomalous Coupling Between Topological Defects and Curvature
Anomalous Coupling Between Topological Defects and Curvature
We investigate a counterintuitive geometric interaction between defects and curvature in thin layers of superfluids, superconductors, and liquid crystals deposited on curved surfaces. Each defect feels a geometric potential whose functional form is determined only by the shape of the surface, but whose sign and strength depend on the transformation …